Mumbai, Jun 28: Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Kapil Patil, Friday blamed the Shiv Sena for the "downfall" of Marathi language in the state. He was speaking in the Upper House of the Legislature over the proposal for grant of classical status to Marathi language and issues related to its conservation.

"Despite being in power for so many years, Shiv Sena has done nothing for the conservation of Marathi language. The language used for legal agreements with its staff and contract employees is English and not Marathi but the party always boasts of being a supporter of Marathi," he said.

The Sena is responsible for the downfall of Marathi language in the state and in various government offices, he alleged. The Lok Bharati Party legislator also objected to the recommendations made by the mathematics committee of the Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum Research (Balbharati) in the method of teaching/studying of numericals in Marathi above 20.

This new reading style has been introduced in all Class II Marathi mathematics textbooks from this academic year. "It is a regressive decision. It means you do not want a maid's son or daughter to grow and become an IAS officer or a successful person in life. You want the maid's children to remain domestic helps throughout their lives," he said.

"Such an important decision was not even discussed on any platform. Why no debate or discussion was held to sensitise people about it?" he asked.

He demanded that the Marathi medium schools should get at least 50 per cent subsidy. "At present, schools do not even get proper funding and they are in poor condition," Patil said.